1 Bonhomme gazed out the window of his ice castle and sighed deeply. It was the final day of Winter Carnival, and the crowds of people were dwindling. Slowly, he turned, walked to his throne, and sat down. The carnival queen, Bridget, came in to say goodbye to the king and master of ceremonies.2 "What's wrong?" she asked, looking at the gloomy snowman on the throne.3 "I'm always sad when Winter Carnival ends," said Bonhomme. "It's such a long wait until next year."4 "Oh, I see," said Bridget, trying to think of how to cheer him up. "Did you enjoy this year's carnival?"5 "Yes, I always enjoy the carnival," answered Bonhomme. "From the opening ceremonies when the queen is crowned to the final day is always such an exciting time."6 "What is your favorite part?" Bridget asked.7 "It's hard to say. The carnival is my life. It has been for many years," replied Bonhomme. "I guess the ice sculptures and this castle are my favorites each year. The castle takes such a long time to build. Tomorrow they will bulldoze it, and it will be gone." Bonhomme bowed his head forlornly.8 "But you have next year's castle to look forward to," she said. "It must be so exciting to see how it's designed each year," said Bridget, trying to encourage the snowman.